


I, Dex-Starr

by CloakedSparrow



Series: Collected Bat-Family Stories [40]
Category: Batman: Gotham Knights (Comics), DCU (Comics), Detective Comics (Comics), Green Lantern Corps (Comics), Red Lanterns (Comics), Red Robin (Comics), Robin (Comics), Young Justice (Comics)
Genre: Adopted Children, Bat Family, Dex-Starr POV, Dex-Starr is a Good Kitty, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kidnapping, Love, No Romance, No Sex, No Smut, One Shot, Recovery, Red Lantern Corps - Freeform, Sad and Happy, Star Sapphire Corps - Freeform, Tim Drake Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:46:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25039471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloakedSparrow/pseuds/CloakedSparrow
Summary: How Dex came to be Tim's cat, and how he hand;es his owner being hurt, from his perspective.
Relationships: Dex-Starr & Tim Drake, No Romantic Relationship(s), Tim Drake & Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Kon-El | Conner Kent
Series: Collected Bat-Family Stories [40]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/734523
Comments: 80
Kudos: 446





	I, Dex-Starr

**Author's Note:**

> Dex-Starr's origin as shown in the beginning of this story and most of the unnamed character dialogue there is from the comic _Tales of the Red Lantern Corps: Dex-Starr_.  
> Dex becomes Tim's cat in the story ['Dex-Starr Finds A New Home'](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11307210).  
> Tim's kidnapping is from a previous story in this series, ['Last Laugh, First Steps'](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15281652). ['A Dark Place'](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23459173) and ['Nightmares'](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15482619) deal with the aftermath of that incident and are referenced in this story.  
> It should still read well on its own.

_I Dex-Starr._

_I had home. She kind. She sad. I help._

“Its been so lonely around here…But you… You’re such a good kitty, aren’t you? You make my life better, you silly cat, and I know if you could talk you’d tell me the same thing.”

_I good kitty._

_He come. I warn._

“Shut up, you stupid cat. Owww!”

_I protect. I fail._

“Dexter? Dexter what is- _Oh!_ Help! Someone hel-”

 _He hurt her._

“Hey! Get that damn cat outta here! Thing’s gonna contaminate the crime scene!”

_She no more._

“Get him in the bag! Hahahaha! This cat’s going crazy!”

 _They hurt me._

“Do you think it’ll die when it hits the water or when it drowns?”

**Dex-Starr of Earth. You have great rage in your heart.**

_I hurt them._

_I hunt one who hurt her._

_I find him._

_He hide._

_Dark city. Bad city. Mean city._

_People hurt. People scared. People cruel. People mad. People sad. People sick._

_I hunt. I tire. I rest._

“Hey, there. You okay?”

_Boy find me._

_Boy kind._

“Its okay. I won’t hurt you. Are you bleed- _Oh_. That’s…not blood. You’re-”

“Hey, Tim! Wh-”

_Boy startle._

_I protect._

“Wait!”

“What the _fuck_?”

“ _Timmy_ …”

“Is that a Red Lantern _cat_?”

“Guys, calm down. You’re scaring him.”

“ _We’re_ scaring _him_?”

“Tim, put him down-”

“Uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea…”

“If it kills him, I call his gear.”

“He’s holding it back from attacking us, dumbass.”

“…And his building.”

“Just put him down!”

“ _Really?_ ”

“Tim, get away from him!”

“Shut up! He’s protecting Tim.”

“Wh- Huh.”

“Why would it be protecting Drake?”

“I think he’s right, Little D.”

“I think he needs help.”

“He’s a _Red Lantern_.”

“That doesn’t mean he’s bad. He’s a _cat_.”

“He’s got a point.”

“Not helping, Jay.”

“You guys don’t have to be involved, but I’m going to help him. ”

“Yeah, ‘cause I’m really gonna leave you alone with something like this. Do I _look_ like Dick?”

“Hey! I’m _right here_.”

“How do you propose to help him, Drake?”

“I have an idea. Dick, you want to help?”

“Of course I’m gonna help. I was caught off guard, okay? I thought you were just feeding stray cats again. I wasn’t expecting to find you in an alley with a Red Lantern.”

“Is it weird that I’m not that surprised?”

“Yes, Todd. There’s clearly something wrong with you.”

“Has anyone told you the story of the pot and the kettle? ‘Cause if they haven’t, I’d hate to waste a good pun on you.”

“What about bad puns? Because that’s what most of yours are.”

“No need to be jealous, brat. One day, you’ll have a sense of humor.”

“Not now, you two. Our brother is cuddling a Red Lantern.”

“Dick, are you still friendly with Simon Baz?”

“Yeah… Why?”

 _Boy get Will Ring. Boy talk to me. Boy ask what happen. Boy care. Boy help._

_Boy kind. Boy brave. Boy wise. Boy good._

_Boy sad. Boy lonely. Boy hide it. Like her._

_Dark man come. Boy tense. Boy sad._

_I protect._

“Stay calm, Dex-Starr. Bruce isn’t a threat.” 

_Boy use Will Ring. Boy call dark man Father. Boy loves Father. Father doesn’t mean to hurt. Boy call Father good._

_I wait. I watch._

_Boy find one who hurt her. All-Wielder take me to him._

_I hurt him._

_All-Wielder make him_ example _. Others not hurt like him. She would like._

_I not kill._

_She would like._

_I content._

_Rage Ring leave. Go to All-Wielder. All-Wielder refuse. Rage Ring leave._

_Boy find me again. Boy take me home._

“Do you want to stay here with me? You can, you know. I’ve always wanted a cat.”

_Boy kind._

“Check it out, Dex. This is your new catio. How do you like it?”

 _Boy loving._

“What? Do you want some attention? I’m sorry. I got caught up in work. Come here.”

_Boy good._

“Hey, Dex. You hungry? I want you to give this new food a chance, okay? Its better for you than the other stuff.”

_Boy wise._

“Come here, Dex. See the button in your hideaway? If you hit it, my phone alerts me. Then I’ll come home. Let’s try it…”

_Someone hurt him._

“Hey, Dex. Sorry you were alone for a few days. We’re just going to stay here for a little while. Just until I’m feeling a little better. Then we’ll go home.”

_Father come. Boy sad. Boy tense. Father hurt him._

_Different hurt. Still hurt._

_All-Wielder tell me stay. He go after Father. I stay._

_They fight. Boy cries. I comfort._

_We go home._

_Boy not better._

_Boy scared._

“I-its okay… I’m okay… Its was j-just a nightmare. I’m okay…”

_Boy more sad. Boy more hurt._

_I comfort. I help. Boy better with me._

“Thanks, Dex. I love you.”

 _All-Wielder come. He stay. He help._

“You didn’t screw up, Tim. Sometimes...shit just happens. Especially in Gotham. What matters is how you handle it. You handed it right.” 

“Its okay to be scared. You were scared the first time you took on the Joker, right? But you did it, because you’ve always been brave. Just keep being brave when you can, and when you can’t, call me…”

“It’s okay, Tim. I’m here. I’ve got you. You’re okay. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

_Boy better with him._

_I like All-Wielder._

_Kryptonian come. Kryptonian different. Kryptonian help._

“You’re a good guy, Tim. No question. You did what you had to to protect others. You always do.”

“You did what you had to _to save people._ I know it isn’t the solution you wanted, but I know you. You wouldn’t have done that unless it was the only way to help everyone. Its not your fault.” 

“You’ll always have me in your corner.”

“Are you really okay?”

_Boy better with him._

_I like Kryptonian._

_Quiet One come. Quiet One help._

“Remember when you tracked me down in Hong Kong? You were right. No matter what anyone else thinks or does, no matter what happens, no matter what you decide to do, we’re still family. Remember that.”

“It doesn’t look bad. No, really. It’ll just take some getting used to, then you’ll see. You kind of look like Snow White. Have you seen that one? Well don’t tell Dick if you don’t want to…”

“Once you’re feeling up to it, you better visit me in Blüdhaven. And you better keep that pull-out chair in case I decide to crash here when I visit.”

_Boy better with her._

_I like Quiet One._

_Boy scared._

“…N-no… _ngh_ …no…* _whimper_ * Stop…no… Ah! …Dex? I-I’m okay. * _sniffle_ * Come here. Thanks, Dex.”

 _Boy brave._

“Thanks, Con, but I’m still not leaving. It didn’t make it any better the last time. I have to face this. And I’m doing a lot of good here with Wayne Enterprises. I want to stay.”

_Boy healing._

“What do you think, Dex? Like the new Inertrite fiber? Its _way_ lighter than my old armor.”

 _Boy kind._

“Hey, Dex. How’s my kitty? Were you okay while I was gone?”

 _Boy loving._

“You watch Jay for me while I’m gone, okay? Make sure he doesn’t over do it. Don’t let him eat anything questionable. Hit your button if he gives you a hard time about it. We have to take care of him.”

 _Boy wise._

“I better call Con. I’m not going to be able to handle this one by myself…”

_Boy sad._

“I don’t know what to do, Dex. I know Bruce doesn’t want me there, but…I miss him. I can’t help it. _Ugh_. What’s wrong with me?”

_Boy good._

“You wanna play? Okay. For a little while before I go out on patrol…crime’s going up again.”

_Boy **mine**._

“Come on, Dex. _Mm_. I love you.”

_I his._

“Who’s my good kitty?”

_I watch._

“I know, Dex, but I’m just going to have another nightmare. If I’m not going to sleep anyway, I might as well do something productive. Dex… What? Fine. I’ll try sleeping, but swat me or something if I start having a nightmare.”

_I comfort._

“Sorry, Dex. I didn’t mean to use you as a pillow. You okay?”

_I home._

“Hey, Dex. How was your day?”

**Dex-Starr of Earth. You have great love in your heart.**

_If someone hurt him again. I protect._

_I love._

_I Dex._

_I good kitty._


End file.
